Getting the Father's Day grilling headed in the right direction with a ton of protein! Trimmed chicken breasts with Amy and James BBQ sauce. Some lean burgers. Along the top are three kinds of peppers and onions sealed in aluminum foil with seasonings. Side burner is hosting corn on the cob and also beans. Potatoes are cooking in the house.
You may notice I am cooking the meat on aluminum foil instead of directly on the grill. I do this for several reasons: (1) it reduces flair-ups; (2) it is easy clean-up (3) it reduces (arguably) carcinogen caused by grilling meat. By capturing the fat drippings into the foil and preventing them from burning off, I am preventing to creation of the carcinogenic PAH. (4) It helps prevent the meat from getting charred, which forms the carcinogen HCA.
I further practice healthy grilling by using a gas grill that allows me to control the temperature for a lower temperature/longer cook, which is believed to reduce the creation of the carcinogen HCA. I also marinate the chicken, which further reduces HCA formation. And, as mentioned, the chicken has the fat trimmed which further helps to avoid the PAH.
Is all of that effective? I don't know. But it makes me feel good that I can take a very simple step that reduces the carcinogens I am feeding to my family.
What are you cooking up for Father's Day?
